Getting with the Times in New Beginnings

I was watching a YouTube channel where the “owner” sometimes posts vlogs I find very interesting. I forget what in particular he was talking about, but he mentioned something about people buying books, then he laughed at his comment and said that people don’t buy physcial books anymore, they download them. At that moment, I realized that I still buy physical books. Years ago, I found out I can buy used books for a dollar or less at Amazon or Half, and that’s what I’ve been doing ever since.

As a matter of fact, I bought a book of stories by H. Rider Haggard recently. I thought I was buying a complete collection of his works, but what arrived was a book of about five of his stories, most of which I had already read. Then I remembered that fellow’s comment from YouTube. I also remembered that Amazon had an eBook of all of Rider’s stories for just a few dollars that I could have got instead if I had a Kindle. I started to wonder if I’m missing out by staying too far behind the technology curve.

I know why I do it. By sticking to a meager budget in college, I saved myself a lot of money worries. When I finished college and started making a serious income, I opted not to upgrade my life too much so I could build up my savings. I rented a room for about a year, then I moved into a studio apartment instead of a one bedroom apartment. I kept my ten year old car rather than getting a new one. When the recession hit, I cranked up my ability to live on a shoe string budget to 11. I was thankful I had built up my savings, but I didn’t know how long I’d have to stretch it out, so spent no more than $20 a week on grocieries. For entertainment, I checked out books from the library for free in place of enjoying cable tv or high speed interenet. I excercised in the drive way or at the high school’s track rather than joining a gym. That last one sucked, too. During winter, I had to make myself endure the biting cold for a good while before my body heated up enough to make it bearable. During spring, all that heavy breathing outside during pollen season aggravated my allergies something fierce. During summer, I tried just not melt into a puddle from the south Georgia heat. Even when I waited until after dark, it felt like working out in a furnace. However, I certainly learned much about being self disciplined.

When I finally found work again and was making decent money, I didn’t upgrade my life as much as I could have. I was used to living so meagerly, I didn’t feel like I was missing out on anything by not having these new amenities that had popped up during my years in the wilderness. I mean, I still use a flip phone. I didn’t realize how archaic doing so made me until I noticed the custodian at my office using an iPhone. I don’t want to fall too far behind progress and have the world change into something I completely don’t understand.

At the same time, I don’t want to jump up to the forefront of the technology curve. Obviously, I don’t want to pay that “early adopter premium.” Moreso, I like having my mind blown. When I built my computer last year, I downloaded some games that had been out for a while. People who had been playing computer games for the past 10 years were undoubtedly acclimated to them, but they blew my mind. Playing out battles on Battlefield or Chivalry with other people from around the world was the kind of thing I dreamed about as a child. When I got my smart TV, being able to press a button to watch whatever show came out that week whenever I wanted seemed like some Arthur C. Clarke fantasy.

I suppose what I’m driving at is I’m unsure what the best balance is between old and knew. I don’t want to disadvantage myself by not avoiding new things, but I don’t want to overdo things and lose my sense of wonder at so many things most other people take for granted. While I search for that balance, I probably won’t ruin myself by getting a kindle, which I’ll do as soon as I finish reading those books I just got.